Boats & Bridges
by BlusterMuster
Summary: Sixteen year old Sofia decides it high time to teach her mother's a lesson. With a rocky household in New York, very few friends to call upon in times of need in the Big Apple, and a depression threatening to swallow her whole, she takes action to prove she deserves to be heard. But who will listen? Rated Mature. Calzona.
1. Chapter 1

This is a little blurb I wrote a while ago but was unsure of whether or not I wanted to submit it anywhere. Since I heard the community here is awesome, I thought why not.

* * *

Chapter 1: Regret Nothing

For a sixteen year old girl, Sofia was incredibly adult. Few could negate that. The fact that her family consisted primarily of doctors was a huge factor, however, since she was a child she had been expected to be a bit more 'adult' than a lot of the kids she knew and grew up with. She remembered the first time she flew on a plane by herself, the first time she went through airport security on her own, the day she learned how to book her own ticket... She had grown up living a life that wasn't the norm for the children her age, not in her immediate 'friend' group, if she could even call it that. At least, that was in New York. There weren't many kids, well, _people_ that she really clicked with in class. She moved so frequently between her mum and her mom and Penny that, even though it was a yearly thing, she couldn't quite _feel_ settled. And that's all a person wants, really, isn't it? Stability? One clear cut place where they belong? For Sofia, that was Seattle. It was with her mum. It was in school with Zola and Bailey, in the doctors lounge at Grey-Sloan Hospital, and it was goofing off with her Uncle Alex when he wasn't being dragged off to surgery. That was home. That was where she wanted to be.

The passed few years had been especially hard. Puberty hit, things changed, her classmates became a hoard of strange, hormone driven, pimple popping, awkward as hell, teenage monsters, and that wasn't the world that she lived in. She had goals and aspirations, she was great in school, and wanted nothing or no one to hold her back. She was going to be extraordinary. A rock star. Hardcore. That was the end game. Although even with all of the work and the knowing that the future she was destined for was awesome, she still couldn't shake the feeling of depression that had begun to cloud her sight. It was just there, beyond all the shit and smoke, just barely visible, yet, her goal felt wholly unreachable when her life felt steadily more upside down with the passing of days. With all the fighting going on behind closed doors it was hard to concentrate on the good. What could have been great memories shared between the three grew suddenly shadowed by the subtlety of Penny's, and her moms', passive comments, their brief glances of disapproval, and their refusal to acknowledge how fucked up they were being to one and other. Sofia couldn't wrap her head around just how miserable they all were and how no one was willing to talk about it. There had been a few attempts on her part to try and reason with her mom, to ask what was going on, why things had drastically changed from what she could remember from when she was a kid, when Penny would actually invest time in their relationship. Sofia wondered every once in a while if Penny even gave a shit anymore. Small kids are cute, no one can get enough of a cute baby, and she certainly was an adorable kid. Now she was a teenager, a person, with so many opinions and questions. She wanted to be heard, to be understood, especially by her family. That's not what Penny and her mom felt like anymore. They were just a well oiled machine now. With all of this swirling in the back of her mind, Sofia shifted in bed onto her side. She stared at her alarm clock and watched the flashing red numbers. 3:06 am. She should have been sleeping. In five hours from now, she would be at the airport, getting ready to board her plane back to New York, and back to her mom; to a life that didn't feel right. Panic and anxiety set in. Why couldn't her mum just let her stay?

The teenage girl flung the covers off her body and sat up in bed. She rubber eyes with the heels of her palms and tried to keep the tears from falling, she tried to slow her beating heart, but it wasn't exactly working. _Fuck.._ She thought. In a split second, as though the clouds miraculously parted, a spark of an idea lit. It was crazy. It was... well, absolutely ridiculous. Lack of sleep and comfort had really only left one option wide open – She had to run. She jumped out of bed like a flash and started filling her knapsack with clothes and toiletries. She wouldn't need all the stuff in her luggage case, but enough to last a while. She grabbed her wallet and her debit card, making sure to secure both in a safe space in her knapsack, knowing full when that there were loonies out there that had no problem with pilfering anything from anyone. She knew her mum would be passed out cold, she could sleep the hardest of anyone she knew...

"What am I doing..." Sofia breathed as she finished making her bed. Her blond mother didn't know what was coming, she should, but she didn't. Sofia had asked her repeatedly the last few years to just let her stay, only to hear the same excuse. _Mom and Penny would miss you, Mom and Penny would be devastated... Mom and Penny, Mom and Penny, Mom and Penny.._. Mom and Penny were not what she needed or wanted right now, Mom and Penny were too wrapped up in their shitty relationship to see that she was drowning, and Mum didn't know the half of it because she didn't really want to hear how shitty things were. She didn't want to believe it. Sofia wasn't left with much of a choice. She threw her backpack on after she was dressed, she grabbed some stationary and left a note on her bed, detailing everything she was thinking, how she felt, and how misunderstood her mother's had begun to make her feel. She didn't know what her plan was, but she knew she had to take action.

Silently, she crept out of her room and down the hall, eyeing her mothers' bedroom door. She passed it and kept on going. Not a sound. Before long she was locking the front door, her mum none the wiser, and that was good. Breathing grew easier, her mind clearer, she didn't regret a single thing and had a bit of a plan. It all depended on her and the willingness of her family to work together. She hated having to take the situation into her own hands and do something drastic, it wasn't her plan or intention at all, but when pinned in a corner with no way out, with no one willing to listen, that was exactly what one had to do. She knew this for sure.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Without Justification

Peering out the back passenger window of a taxi, Sofia grappled with losing her resolve. She could be dramatic, yes, but she rarely stepped a toe out of line; she wasn't ballsy at all. This was a very ballsy move. If she didn't play her cards right, it could be disastrous... The cab slowly pulled up to the Grey-Shephard residence and stopped at the foot of the driveway, it was a bit of a trek, but Sofia was happy the driver didn't go much further in case he woke up the whole household. She paid with her debit, grabbed her knapsack, and lifted herself out of the car, being pretty careful not to let the car door close too loudly. The taxi drove off and left her to walk the rest of the way. She didn't care, really. She liked the place.

The sun was ever so slightly lighting the horizon which made Sofia draw out her phone to glance at the time. 4:24 am. _Damn, I'm making good time._ She thought to herself with a sigh. When she finally reached the house, Sofia circled behind it and found Zola's window. She crept up and reached to tap the glass with the nail of her index finger, just a few inches over her head. Three sharp taps. _Come on, Zoe... Don't leave me hanging here._ Sofia waited a few minutes then tapped a few more times. She was about to give up hope when a light in the room turned on.

"Oh thank god." The words fell out of Sofia's mouth as she closed her eyes and said a silent thank you to which ever god of luck granted her this one small favour. She looked up in time to see Zola parting the curtain. Her friend looked suddenly incredibly bewildered and immediately cracked the window enough to remove the screen and poke her head out.

"Dude, do you realize it's like 4:30 in the god damn morning?" Zola wasn't pissed, Sofia knew it. In fact, she could see by the mildly amused look the other girl was throwing off that she was just razzing her, even if a bit sleepily. Sofia shook her head, her fingers rising up to her forehead to massage her temple.

"I'm supposed to be at the airport like... before noon, and I literally just ran away from my mums' place and came here, shit is getting seriously out of hand. I need your help." Sofia explained as she began removing her backpack to pass up. Without hesitation, Zola reached out and grabbed it. She knew the story, she thought it was equally as ridiculous, naturally, she was going to do anything to help her best friend out.

"Uhh, well, that's intense. I know we've talked about you pulling _the big one_ but, I gotta admit, I'm surprised, and a little impressed, that you've actually done it." The darker girl said as she put Sofia's back pack down. The minute Zola returned to the window, she reached out her hand and helped Sofia climb in through, just as she had about a hundred times before. They were pretty inseparable, and they were, after all, the children of surgeons. They played in the same OR galleries, they had since they were little, it made them close and Sofia treasured their friendship. It was one of the many reasons why she wanted to stay. Zola could fully understand, and empathize, with so much of what she felt, although her family was far less dysfunctional in a damaging sense. Every family was screwed one way or another but, for Sofia, her situation was one of, for lack of a better word, neglect.

Once she had successfully infiltrated Zola's bedroom, the girls made fast work of fixing the screen and getting comfortable in Zola's bed. They sat side by side with the covers drawn over their legs, taking in a second of silence. It didn't last terribly long.

"You know, I didn't even want it to go down like this. I thought talking about it would be enough to get them to understand how much I hate having to go back and forth all the time, every year, splitting summer, Christmas, school years... I don't even get how they _think_ this actually works." Sofia combed her fingers back through her hair, unable to find anything else to add. Though she stared at the window opposite them, she knew Zola was staring at the side of her face.

"Sof, why don't you just talk to my mom?" Sofia immediately began to side-eye her friend with a raised eyebrow, as though to say _'Are you out of your mind?'._ She imagined that would go over like a lead balloon, one call from the Grey household and boom, back off to the airport with mummy. Nope. Not happening.

"Because your mom would tell my mom," She replied as she turned her face towards Zola, to better see the girl beside her. "And if your mom tells my mom then I'm right screwed. My mom's need to think I'm, like... Half way to Mexico, or something. At least for a day or two... Or ten." God, she was going to be in such shit. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe they could see reason, her reasons. She was shaken from her train of thought by the weight of Zola's hand on the back of hers; a comforting gesture. She zoned in to see her friend looking still quite amused.

"Sof, hun, listen... My mother is many, many things, but she's not a nark. She can be absolutely bat shit crazy sometimes, as we all know, she's a Grey, but she won't call Arizona," Zoe gave Sofia's hand a bit of a squeeze of reassurance. "If you explain everything to her, I'm positive she'll know what to do. She's probably done worse."

Zola had a point. Meredith Grey was pretty much a rebel. As they were getting older, and with so much time spent with the woman in question, Sofia had learned a lot about the Grey family. Even a bunch of stuff she didn't know about her own family, little stories her mothers never told. Mostly about her dad. Being absolutely desperate for this whole thing to go as smoothly as possible, Sofia eventually gave in and nodded her head. She'd talk to Meredith. What did she have to lose?

After a bit of lighter conversation, a few small laughs and some fun, the girls crept out of bed and meandered out of Zola's bedroom to the kitchen. Both were hungry and thirsty and breakfast seemed like a pretty rad idea. When they crossed the house to get there, Sofia could see by the clock on the stove that it was already nearing 5:30 in the morning. Her mum would be up by now. Would she have already found the letter? Would she be going out of her mind? Sofia almost wished she could have been a fly on the wall to see just what was going to transpire in the confines of those four walls. On second thought, it was probably best that she didn't know.

As the girls were fixing themselves up some eggs and toast, they heard a door down the hall open and close. Feet gently padding towards the kitchen followed. Sofia knew it had to be one of two people, either Bailey or Zoe's mom. Sure enough, it was the latter. Dressed and ready for the day, always impeccable, Meredith Grey. The elder womans' cool blue eyes picked her out instantly.

"Morning, girls." She greeted as she swept passed them both, stopping only to lean and press a good morning kiss to her daughters cheek on her way to grab coffee. They said their good mornings and readied their dishes to sit down and eat. "Aren't you leaving today, Sofia?" The young Robbins-Torres froze. She was quickly regretting her decision, but an expression of approval and support from her friend pushed her forward.

"Actually, not so sure about that anymore." Sofia replied while crunching on her toast. Suddenly, it grew hard to swallow. She grabbed her cup of coffee and watched Meredith turn and lean against the counter, eyeing her suspiciously. _Oh, fuck... Christ. I'm dead._ She felt Zola prod her in the side. It nearly made her choke on the coffee soaked lump of toast she was trying to get down. Once she had, she flashed her friend a sharp look.

"You aren't supposed to be here, are you... ," It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Sofia looked up to see the blond woman fold her arms over her chest; she was in mom mode. She had that look like she was ready to listen, yet, she was ready to scold. What she had to say next had to be damn good. Honest.

"No, I'm not supposed to be here." She admitted as she pushed her empty plate forward, beginning to cradle her coffee between her hands on the counter where it had been. Meredith nodded slowly.

"Start talkin', Sof."

* * *

 _It's a bit quiet... She's not in the shower? She has to start getting ready..._ Arizona finally rolled out of bed. Sofia must have stayed up pretty late, or maybe she just hit snooze on her alarm. She hadn't heard it go off. The blond woman stilled. _Weird..._ She thought as she secured her prosthetic. Her brows furrowed. She was such a light sleeper, she would have heard it, just as she had every other morning. They wouldn't always wake up together. Every once in a while she'd stay in bed, or get out of bed while Sofia continued to delay her alarm, but she always heard it.

The blond rose, crossed her room, and opened the door. Still in her pj's, she gazed down the hall to see Sofia's bedroom door slightly ajar. Something didn't seem right. She didn't call her daughter's name in case she was actually still sleeping, but instead crept towards her bedroom door. She gently pressed a hand against it and pushed it open, an intense wave of panic rising in her chest.

 _Gone._

Bed made. Dresser drawers open, empty. No backpack. Note.

Arizona rushed, as best she could on one good leg, to her daughters bed. With frantic hands she reached to open the envelope found laying there, against Sofia's pillow, and quickly read what was written in her daughter's writing.

 _Dear mum,_

 _I know you're that your probably really upset right now. I get that. I've tried multiple times to explain that I just can't do this whole 'daughter exchange program' anymore. No one listens. I tried talking to mom but she keeps trying to pretend like nothing is wrong. I've tried talking to you and telling you that things between Penny and mom aren't working and I'm stuck in the middle, but you don't seem to realize that. I didn't even try talking to Penny because I barely exist to her anyway._

 _You are my mother. And I love you. I love both of my moms. But if you can't see that I'm miserable, then I guess I sort of have to take care of myself._

 _I'm not going back to New York._

 _I love you,_

 _Sof._

To be continued..


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: What Better Said

A million and one scenarios rushed through her mind like speeding bullets. Each worse than the previous. Where had she gone? Who was she with? Was she with anyone? Was she safe? Sofia was a sixteen year old girl, alone, in a world full of people, and not everyone was _nice_ or, at least, compassionate. Arizona could barely see the numbers on the dial pad of her cordless phone through her tears. Panic. She was beside herself. She quickly lifted the receiver to her ear and listened for the ringing.

 _"Hello?"_

"Callie." The name pushed off her tongue through a sob. Arizona held tightly to the phone and anchored herself on the bed, her free hand gripping the comforter, as she tried to keep herself from melting to the floor.

 _"Arizona? What's wrong?"_ Even though the brunette couldn't see her, the blond shook her head. What wasn't wrong? Everything was wrong.

"Sofia... Sofia left. She ran away. I don't know where to look, I don't know what to do. She left a note and she ran." She could hear muffled noises in the background, it sounded like Calliope was leaping out of bed, then a door closed. What was going on over there?

 _"What do you mean 'Sofia ran away'? She's there with you..."_ Arizona let out a groan of frustration, her fuse was short.

"Calliope, Sofia ran away. She ran _away_. She left a note that said she didn't want to go back to New York and she left... I don't know where she is."

" _She's sixteen!?"_

"I KNOW THAT!" The blond woman nearly through the phone against the wall. Did Calliope think she was dense, or something?

 _"Okay.. Okay...,"_ She could hear Callie calming herself down, taking a moment, breathing. They had to think of something fast. _"Okay, listen, we're getting on the next plane. Call everyone, someone might know something we don't. If we don't have a lead or... Or something, by the time I get there, we'll have to call the police."_ Arizona let the breath she had been holding slip past her lips, shakily. It was a plan. It was as good as any. It had to be.

"Okay... Alright." She said as she forcibly tried to calm herself. Just like that damn truck... This. It came out of no where.

* * *

Sofia explained everything. Every detail. Even though she was sure her mom wouldn't want her friend to know the gritty stuff, and there was quite a bit of that, once she started explaining, it all just poured out of her. And there Meredith was. Listening. Finally, someone was listening. Meredith didn't ask questions, really. She just let Sofia talk, and every once in a while she'd nod to indicate that she was paying attention. The blond woman still, however, wore that mom mask of _I don't know if I agree with this, or if I don't agree with this, and I'm not gonna tell you either way until I think about it more._ Meanwhile, she could see Zola quietly watching like it was a tennis match. She'd peer between Sofia and her mother, curious and invested, wanting to see what the outcome would be.

"That's why I came here, I didn't have anywhere to go and I just need my mother's to sweat a little bit... ," Meredith's gaze hardened minutely. "Which, I know, is horrible... It's an awful thing to do. But I didn't have any other alternative, I tried everything else. I would never do this if..."

"I know." The older woman stated finally, surprising both the kids. Words. She spoke words. For the first time in, what... A half an hour? Meredith sighed and looked down at the granite counter top, away from the girls. She looked like she was thinking hard. The girls remained silent.

"You're a good girl, Sof. Smart, funny, reliable... Honest. I believe you," Sofia felt herself begin to relax. _She believes me._ It was almost like Meredith sensed the small shift. "But that doesn't make this right. If one of my kids pulled this, they better hope I don't find them." She gave Zola a pointed look. No one could make Zola shrink like her mother could. It was actually a little funny.

"Are you going to call my mum?" Sofia quietly asked. She dreaded the response. How could this all work if she was just hauled back within a few hours? It would just land her in a pile of shit.

"Are you going to run away from here if I do?" Meredith asked as she pushed off the counter and walked to the fridge for some yogurt. With the woman's back turned, Zola prodded Sofia again. She nodded emphatically, silently urging Sofia to say yes. This was her mother's game. She knew it, she sensed it. When Meredith turned back around, the girls were looking at her.

"Yes." Sofia replied. Meredith paused, container in hand. Sofia was lying. The older woman had to bite the inside corner of her mouth to keep from smirking. The kid was just too good to go against the grain. What a _Kepner_.

"Fine, I don't want you to be out there on your own. It's not safe. Stay here, I won't call your mum. But if you don't call your mothers tomorrow, I will. End of discussion." It was the best possible scenario that Sofia could hope for.

Within a few moments, Meredith's cellphone began to ring. Zola and Sofia were busying themselves cleaning their mess, so the blond excused herself to the next room. Once her mother was out of sight, Zola gave her friend a little nudge, smirking.

"The entire time you literally looked like you were shitting yourself." She joked before making a mock terrified face, mouth gaping open in horror of some invisible thing over her shoulder towards Sofia. The younger girl pursed her lips, gently shoving the girl ahead of her as the carried their plates to the sink.

"Dude, I _was_ shitting myself. Metaphorically speaking." All Zola could do was laugh. Sofia just sighed. She hated lying. She was a horrible liar. That's partially the reason, she knew, Meredith loved her being around. Even when they were little, if Zola and Sofia were getting into trouble, all she had to do was sit them down and ask. Zola could keep that poker straight face, just like her mother, Sofia... Well, she could not. She was the tool used for lie detecting. It wasn't a bad thing. But it did warrant a few groans from her friend from time to time.

After a little while, Meredith returned. She grabbed her purse and gave the girls a quick glance before heading towards the door.

"Hospital called, I gotta run in. Be good and don't wake up your father, Zoe. If you need his car, just take it. Permission granted." The girls glanced at each other. _Sweet..._

* * *

Once out of ear shot, with the girls in the kitchen cleaning, Meredith collected herself on the front step after closing the door behind her. She grabbed her cellphone and drew it out of her purse, looking at the phone screen. Still in the call.

"Still here?" She asked after bringing her phone up to her ear and wedging it between her head and shoulder as she rifled in her purse for her car keys.

 _"Yeah, still here."_ Meredith heard Arizona sniff on the other end. The blond climbed into her vehicle and switched her phone to her other ear as she buckled her seat belt.

"Alright, don't move. I'm coming over."

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Our Rights

Callie stared at her cell phone for a good few minutes before she put it down. Wasn't this just the icing on top of the cake... Her heart was racing, she was having a hard time sorting through her muddled thoughts, and all she knew for absolutely certain was that she needed to make sure she was on the earliest possible flight to Seattle. _Okay... I can do this._ She thought as she squared her shoulders. She drove the fear for her daughter's safety to the back of her mind and turned back into the bedroom, where there lay a sleeping red head. If she were being totally honest, she wasn't too enthralled with the idea of rousing her. Whether it would turn into another fight or not, she couldn't be sure. Either way, there was a crisis. She didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

"Hey, Penny..." She reached and laid a hand on the woman's shoulder. Penny didn't move.

"What, Calliope..." Was the response the brunette received. The woman didn't open her eyes, didn't budge, just laid there. It was clear, however, that she was, in fact, quite awake and aware. Callie's eyes narrowed at the back of her partners' head.

"Sofia ran away from home this morning, we have to go to Seattle." This information stirred a reaction.  
"What?" Penny evidently wasn't sure she'd heard her properly. The woman turned over and then Callie could finally see the woman peering at her. She removed her hand from the red head and sat back on the bed, her lips forming a grim line.

"Sofia ran away." Callie repeated. She watched a look of exasperation wash over the pale features across from her own. Penny lifted a hand and pinched the bridge of her nose as she processed what Callie had told her. None to impressed. _And here we go..._ She thought.

"Do you realize that I have two, very massive, incredibly important, meetings today with the board, which pretty much decide whether or not I get the funding for my clinical trial." Penny replied smoothly, her tone laced with a hint of a chill. Calliope stared at her. Was she being serious? The brunette remained silent for minute or two, scanning her partners' face for any sign that she might have just been choosing a horrible time to be a shit of a joker. The other woman dropped her hand back to her lap, returning Callie's blank stare. Calliope scoffed, at long last, and shook her head. She rose from the bed and walked to her dresser to start packing her clothes.

"I tell you that our daughter ran away and all you can think about is your fucking _clinical trial_... You are unbelievable," She countered bitterly while placing a pile of folded shirts and socks on the bed. "Just stay here, do whatever you need to do. I'll go by myself."

"This is important, Callie. This could be my career..." Callie raised a hand to stop Penny from antagonizing her further, she wasn't having it. Not now.

"Stop. Don't. Don't compare the importance of your career to my the importance of my kid. I am done talking about this, so... Just stop." She couldn't even look at the other woman. She was... Actually a little disgusted. But that was the norm, wasn't it? It was by chance that they even ended up sleeping in the same bed, something... Changed. Through the years, it started off small. Then the hole grew bigger, and bigger, until they were this. It was different.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Penny peel back the covers and get out of bed. She heard her disappear in to the bathroom and close the door, and listened as the shower sprung to life. That was that. By the time the red headed woman would be done, Callie would be down stairs with her carry on waiting for a cab. By the time she'd be making breakfast, the brunette would be in the cab on her way to the airport... And as Callie rode toward her destination, the little nagging bite of regret for ever having left Seattle would roll over her in waves. She'd try her best to push that feeling aside. But, damn... It was hard.

* * *

Pulling into the driveway at Arizona's, Meredith couldn't help but notice another vehicle taking up the majority of the space. Meredith pursed her lips in mild irritation. _Come on, Karev. Learn how to park._ She mumbled to herself as she wedged herself in as best she could.

The drive over was mostly spent trying to figure out how to properly word what she wanted to say. She was that kind of woman. Sure, there had been a number of occasions where she could riff a good spiel about this or that, but this was bigger. This involved the kids. Sofia might as well just have been one of her own, as Zola could have very well been one of theirs. The girls were close, Grey and Yang close, twisted sisters to the core. Bailey, well, he was a boy. The girls had their own club, their secrets, their biology... Certain things Bailey would never be able to understand. A sisterhood was a ladies only thing. Zola and Sofia had it. She was lucky that they did; that they had one and other.

Meredith climbed out of her car and locked it pressing the small lock button on her key chain. She sorted herself and climbed the few stairs to knock at Arizona's front door. The blond wasn't the one who answered, rather, she was met by Alex.

"Hey, Mer." Greeted the man stiffly as he opened the door for her to walk through.

"Hey." She greeted in turn, softly, as she stepped inside and dropped her purse onto the chair in the entrance. She could hear sniffling in the living room, Alex just nodded when she thumbed to the room while looking back at him with a questioning eye. He looked awful. Concerned. She felt a bit bad for not explaining the situation over the phone, although this was far more a time to sit and have a dialogue. There was far too much to discuss.

Meredith turned into the living room to find Arizona on the couch, still her in her pj's, with her phone and a box of Kleenex. Her eyes were swollen, puffy, and still filling with fresh tears. The elder blond sighed deeply as her friend glanced up to look at her. Meredith gave a small, sympathetic smile.

"Sofia is with me, she's at the house with Zola right now." Meredith stated while lowering herself down on the couch beside the other woman. At first, Arizona looked as though she didn't quite understand, she didn't respond, but only turned her face to look at Meredith with confusion. Meredith just nodded her head and reached out to place a hand on Arizona's back. It took a second to register before the blond relaxed against the weight of her friends' hand soothing her. She couldn't speak. Meredith sensed that this whole ordeal had deeply effected the younger woman, her body language was broken, and Arizona quickly covered her face with her hands and sobbed. Relief.

Alex didn't say a word, he just watched and listened, eventually seating himself across from the women in the leather armchair opposite where they sat. The stress etched on his face didn't dissipate, if anything, he appeared just the same despite the news of Sofia's location. His mind was trapped in a loop of why's and how's. He just couldn't find words.

"I have to call Callie... Tell her she doesn't have to fly, I need to change..." Arizona finally began to say once her tears began to subside. She grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes, nearly getting up to get dressed in order to go retrieve her child, however, Meredith halted her. Meredith shot a look between Alex and Arizona, her hand remaining on the woman's shoulder, gripping lightly, so she didn't move. Both peered at her questioningly.

"Sofia doesn't know that I'm here, you know, she doesn't know you called," She stated in a gentler tone while removing her hand, returning it to her lap, and lacing her fingers. It took one look from Meredith to inform Arizona that she knew... She knew everything. Arizona felt the heat rise in her cheeks. Was it embarrassment? Shame? Regret? Meredith couldn't tell. And, frankly, it didn't really matter. What mattered were the kids. "And that's how it should be."

"How do you figure that?" Alex spoke up and Meredith turned her gaze upon him. She watched him fold his arms over his chest and cock his head to the side, peering right back at her, evidently somewhat unimpressed.

"Think about it, Sofia obviously would ask me _not_ to call her mother. I didn't call Arizona, but I'm still here telling her where her kid is, and if she knows that I'm here, or if Arizona miraculously appears after I've 'gone to the hospital', which is where I said I was going, then I will have broken her trust. She won't trust me, she _needs_ to trust me," The picture was growing clearer the more Meredith explained, and it was then that she turned to address Arizona, mother to mother. "I know that you love your daughter. We're good parents, we love our kids, and we're a family. But something is going on that is making Sofia want to run away from home. And Callie is a part of that issue. So, she should come, and the three of you should discuss this together. But Sofia cannot know that I told you she's with me... Because if she does, if ever there is a problem that she feels she can't come to you with, she won't come to me, she might not even go to someone else... Not if she feels betrayed."

Alex and Arizona glanced at one and other. Meredith did have a point. It didn't matter how much Arizona loathed the idea of drawing this out, her daughter _would_ feel absolutely betrayed, and where would that leave her and Calliope?

The three sat together in the living room, sharing the silence, so much to be said, but none to eager to start discussing the situation. Sometimes it didn't really matter how close you were, how connected, some things were even difficult to decide as parents and care givers. Arizona would talk to Callie, tell her what had transpired, ask about Penny and whether Calliope was going to do something about that mess. She'd be lying if she said she didn't believe her daughter when Sofia told her their relationship was toxic. She knew how the other woman was when she was happy, in love, and well cared for... She'd seen a change in both of 'her' girls, the ones she cared about most; Sofia and Callie _weren't_ happy, they clearly didn't feel loved, or cared for, in the way they needed it. She just didn't want to acknowledge it. Arizona didn't want to rock the boat. She'd done it so many times in the past, she was terrified to have to do it again.

Sofia was going to stay in Seattle. End of story. Whether Calliope liked it or not.

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 3: Revelations

Through the years, Arizona and Calliope had become good friends. Again. This was, in part, due to Arizona's willingness to share custody with Calliope, and Calliope's gratitude for the fact that Arizona had chosen to allow them to _all be happy_. It took some time. A few years of communication and compromise, but they somehow managed to crawl through to the other side and grow together as a family. It wasn't perfect or traditional, yet, despite this, it worked. They shared other things besides a child; they made each other laugh, they still enjoyed telling one and other about their long days, they could take comfort in the familiarity of the other person, but there was nothing more than a platonic love to bind them. That was, at least, how Arizona felt.

It was hard for a while, she could easily admit, when she found herself jealous or bitter. The green eyed monster did rear it's ugly head when she sat and really focused on the thought of Callie, Penny, and Sofia's relationship, and how close they might be. Regardless of whether or not she had Sofia with her, she couldn't help to feel, at times, the insecurity of _'am I enough'._ Arizona was single. She'd been single for a few years. There had been a few scattered dates, one relationship, which lasted a couple of years, but nothing spectacular. And luckily Sofia wasn't terribly attached to anyone she had chosen to date. She'd been open with the women and told them that she was a family oriented woman, that her work was of equal importance, they mustn't have believed her when she told them that she wasn't in the business of screwing around. Arizona was a mother first, a doctor second, and a lover third.

Venting to Callie became a vice. Calliope never seemed to mind it much either. She would listen, let her rant and rave, give input, and be a support without any actual request to do all those things. She was a wonderful friend. A fierce companion - even though miles separated them. Arizona could honestly say she loved Calliope, still, maybe that was why none of her date-ships worked out in the end, who could say? However, she was actually pretty pissed with the brunette for not allowing her to be the same anchor. A part of her had known for a long time that something wasn't sitting right in the Big Apple. The couple were able to put on a pretty good display when she'd been around, incredibly convincing, but now Arizona was starting to see some red flags that she hadn't really taken the time to investigate.

Denial could be just as dangerous as being forthright. In the beginning, Arizona wanted to question why Callie didn't talk about Penny terribly much. When they talked on the phone, texted, or emailed, their conversations typically revolved around themselves, their work, their daughter. Arizona hadn't heard the words ' _Penny and I...'_ for quite a while... Why didn't she question it? When Sofia began to seem less excitable, quieter, more reclusive, Arizona thought it was puberty. Maybe to a certain extent it was. Although when Callie became less like the woman who took pride in dancing in her underwear, Arizona took it as a sign of age. They were, after all, growing older. She should have known better.

Sitting at Joe's, staring down into the gin and tonic cupped in her hand, the blond woman waited. The minute Callie touched down, she'd called. She seemed confused as to why Arizona invited her to the bar when their child was off wandering _'who knows where'_. Arizona simply told her that she'd explain when she arrived. Being cryptic never won her any brownie points, in fact, it just irked Calliope, Arizona knew that, but their conversation certainly wasn't one to have over the phone... And Arizona needed a bit of liquid courage, a bit of luck too, in order to ensure it went smoothly. The distraction of the music, the few people filing in for a mid afternoon drink... It was comfort. Safety.

"Arizona."

The blond, lost in the tangled web of thought she'd spun in her head, didn't notice the other woman approach, didn't hear when she was greeted, nor looked up from the depths of her glass for, what had to be, a fair bit of time. Her head snapped up when it did finally register and her gaze found Callie, standing with her luggage case at the edge of the booth, looking none to happy and, frankly, pretty tired.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry. I got a little... Lost, for a minute." She said as she stood up from the booth and enveloped Callie in a tight squeeze of a hug. She could feel Calliope's body relax for a moment and, eventually, arms wound around her frame.

"Arizona, what's going on? And why are we here?" Callie separated from her and peered at her questioningly, maintaining eye contact, as they lowered themselves into the booth and seated across from one and other. Arizona chose not to split hairs. Not when Callie's gaze told her she was frustrated, concerned, and exhausted.

"Okay, Sofia's with Meredith, she's safe," Arizona led with that. Immediately, Callie closed her eyes and sighed deeply, releasing a lot of tension in that one exhalation. Despite the relief Arizona could see enveloping the brunette, she wasn't finished yet. "However, we're not going to pick her up." The womans' eyes instantly sprung open and aimed an even more questioning stare in her direction. Her body language showed so many colours of emotion; upon hearing Sofia had been discovered, she slackened, but the second Arizona stated that they weren't going to retrieve their child, she stiffened all over again.

"What do you mean? Why?" Callie's voice held a stern note, Arizona definitely had her attention. That was good, at least.

"Because we need to talk," Arizona placed her beverage aside, straightening in her seat, then folded her hands on the table before her. She wasn't going to forcibly poke the bear that was sitting opposite her. Callie's temper was delicate – and she certainly wasn't in the mood with playing with fire. "I'll start..."

"Yeah, you better do that." Callie replied coolly, her hands also folding on the tables surface, mirroring Arizona. The blond took a breath, sorted herself, and just let it go.

"Calliope, I have to ask you about Penny..." Arizona watched an array of emotions cross Callie's features. Surprise and fear being the most prevalent. Then, she just seemed to turn to stone. The blond feared for the worst but pressed on. "Sofia talked to Meredith about what's going on at home, between you and Penny, and your relationship. She ran away because she doesn't want to live in New York." Arizona paused for a minute to scan the other womans' features, investigating for any sign of... something. Callie just stared right back. "Naturally, Meredith told me and I... I can't honestly say I really want her to leave either. If things are as bad as she's telling us they are, apparently she's even tried talking to you about what's been happening, well, I am not going to force her to leave. Legally, I do have the right to keep her here."

"So what are you saying," Callie finally countered as her eyes began to fill with tears which, she apparently, refused to let spill. "You're just going to take my kid?" Arizona could tell she was getting very angry. A rosy hue laced Callie's cheeks and began to creep up her neck, her fingers fidgeted, it was agitation. And not what she wanted to inflict.

"No, I don't want to do take our daughter away from you... That's not what I'm saying," Arizona replied softly while reaching across the table to place a hand on top of Calliope's folded ones. "She wants to stay, it isn't me taking her away, she's choosing to stay here... Why didn't you tell me about Penny? Why didn't talk to me about any of this?" The questions were what finally pushed the brunette over the edge. She retracted one hand, only to wipe a few stray tears from her cheek, Arizona had initially thought the contact wasn't appreciated and began to retract her own hand, but Callie didn't allow it... She made sure she held on. Raising a brow, ever so slightly, the blond tried to mask the feeling which rose in her chest. She watched Calliope's body language shift, her eyes watering, her lips quivering... She looked like she was trying so hard just to keep it together; She looked _defeated_. Arizona's brows pinched in concern, her own mouth curling into a small, sympathetic frown. Callie continued to squeeze her hand, they peered into each others eyes, until Callie could finally offer a word of response.

"It's been hard, it's not good... She's... _We_ are just so different," It looked like a battle just to formulate the words, to actually tell the truth, Arizona just rubbed the back of her hand with the pad of her thumb, silently waiting. "But _how_ do I call and tell you _that_. How do I tell you that I made a mistake... After everything, how do I call you and tell you that it was..." Callie's voice strained, the blond gave her hand a tighter squeeze of reassurance, listening intently, and not allowing a single ounce of shock display upon her face. "It was a mistake to leave Seattle... And now I'm stuck. I'm trapped with a woman who, I know, doesn't love me, in New York, and my daughter would rather be across the country with you."

Arizona was speechless.

Of all the things Callie thought, of all the massively difficult situations they've dealt with throughout the course of knowing one and other, she thought she was trapped. Stuck. No escape. That must have been positively terrifying. The blond took her hand back only long enough to switch sides of the booth, she motioned for Callie to scoot over so she could sit, Callie did, but the brunette didn't understand why. The dimpled woman pursed her lips a moment as she lowered herself down beside the mother of her child, her bright eyes reconnecting with the brown ones of her ex wife's. She took a breath, then parted her lips to speak.

"Calliope, stay." That was all she knew to say. There was so much she wanted to say, to explain, to offer up as comfort, however, _stay_ was all that came out. Incredulously, Callie stared at her. Confusion clearly written across her tanned features. Arizona didn't flinch beneath the weight of her stare. She was serious.

"Stay?" The woman repeated questioningly, quietly, while looking at the blond who didn't seem to be backtracking, Callie didn't know what that meant... Stay with Penny? Stay in the booth? Where?

"Stay in Seattle. With Sofia, and with me," Arizona's lips moved faster than her brain, maybe it with the liquor, or maybe it was just seeing Callie so hurt, and so unlike herself, it was the only conclusion she drew to. "We have a guest bedroom you can move into, in a house that I know you love, in a city full of people who care about you, you aren't alone here. Screw Penny, stay here. Stay with us."

A short pause settled between them. Two women, two parents, a family, silently looking back at one and other. The faint sounds of music, people, glasses dropping on surfaces, chatter, didn't even matter. In their booth, there was no distraction. Arizona watched Callie release a shaky breath. Seconds passed.  
"Okay"

TBC...


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Revolving Door

It was like a dream. Like a nightmare that turned into a dream. There she was, sitting in the living room of a house that used to be her own, with a woman making dinner who used to fill her with such... Pride. Such love, sincerity, and all the things that she had craved since she was a child. There was still much to discuss. She was on autopilot. As soon as Arizona offered her the space she needed, an escape from a tormented reality, she took it. Without question. She reached out and held on to the prize so fiercely tight that it was all she could really see.

Calliope was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of missing what she thought she was going to have for the rest of her life, it was just a lot of unnecessary work trying to keep her head above water. That was what it boiled down to – trying not to drown in an an ocean of regret and loss. She knew loss. She knew it so well that they may as well have been friends. When George died, that was loss. When Mark died, that was a hole which never could be filled in her life. She thought she'd grown enough, endured enough, that now it was her time, her moment, to walk tall again. With Penny. Callie had _needed_ Penny to be the one. If she wasn't... Well, she was wrong. It meant that, again, she'd put herself in the position to be hurt. Over and over. Why?

Sitting on the couch alone, listening to the sounds of onions sizzling in the frying pan on the stove, hearing Arizona withdraw utensils, the cutting board, and running the tap every so often, Callie immediately regretted saying that one, small word; _Okay._ Anxiety overtook her the minute they started driving back to the house, Arizona behind the wheel, her luggage in the back, the reality set in and it terrified her. She was going _home_. Home to a place that had been ruined once, twice... So many times before. Home. She didn't even know what home was supposed to feel like anymore, it just seemed like a vague idea that she heard of people talking about but, yet, never to feel for herself again. It seemed rather utopian. Being jaded made it damn hard to feel relief.

Thinking about their daughter, what Sofia must have thought or felt in order to run, Calliope knew that Sofia didn't have a singular rebellious bone in her body. She wasn't a kid who had tantrums, she didn't make irrational decisions, she was far unlike her mother's and her father in that regard. To look at the situation now? What the fuck was she going to do... She had a job in New York, a girlfriend, an apartment, they had a life there. Was she supposed to just pick up everything, every inch of her then life, and uproot herself to Seattle on a whim just because she wasn't strong enough to deal with the partner she was leaving behind? Was that really what God intended? Had her life really led her back to this? To the blond? To the ferry boats and the rain?

For the entire duration of the time spent listening to Arizona putter in the kitchen, Callie could think only of rewinding. Rewinding and unravelling the knotted ball her life had become since she'd left Seattle. Where to start... Where she would end, and how gracefully she'd be able to make it through along the way. She didn't know if she was actually going to stay. She didn't know if she was going to go back either. Her things, clothes, pictures... Did she need them? Did she want them... Could she decide?

"Callie..."

"Huh?" The brunette looked up to see the other woman standing in the kitchen doorway, her warm blue eyes giving her a cursory glance.

"You should eat, do you want to eat with me?" Arizona's voice was velvety soft, comforting, it was so  
unlike what she'd grown used to. When was the last time Penny and her sat down at the table, looked across at one and other, ate dinner together, talked? When was the last time Penny cooked? _Why does this feel strange..._

"Yeah, dinner would be nice." Callie replied softly, while she tried to look casual, calm. A dimpled smile flashed, then the blond was out of sight. The soft sound of glass plates being withdrawn reached her. Why was she torn?

Callie rose from her spot on the couch and made her way through the living room and into the kitchen. The sight of Arizona dishing out salad, chicken, some rice, and some vegetables onto two plates, just a small meal for two, made her heart palpitate. Anxiety. It was a funky, funky thing. The brunette walked on eggshells and she didn't even know. Part of her was waiting for the scorn, a mean passive comment to be uttered, and her defences were in full effect.

"I know that you're probably tired, so I understand if after you just want to go to sleep. We have all the time in the world to hash out details." Arizona told her while she set them places at the kitchen table, throwing a small smile over her shoulder at the bewildered woman slowly making her way towards a chair. _Well, that wasn't passive or mean..._ It didn't feel right. It didn't feel _normal_. Was she so broken that she couldn't accept the simplest of kindnesses from a person she knew she could trust? _Snap out of it, Torres._

"I... Thank you, Arizona." Callie inwardly chastised herself for fumbling, for giving a shit that she had fumbled in the first place, and for not being able to allow herself a minute of peace.

"Anytime." Was the gentle reply she received. Sincere. Affectionate. That was Arizona.

The women settle themselves down and began to eat their dinner. It got quiet. Just the sounds of knives and forks filled the space between them. Callie didn't make much eye contact. She couldn't really bring herself to. She was waiting for the shoe to drop, for the next big bang, maybe if everything was turned upside she'd feel a bit more in her element. In fact, she knew she would if that were the case.

"I know we've both had a draining 12 hours, probably longer for you, all things considered, but I really have to ask just one small question," Arizona eventually began to speak and tires screeched in Callie's mind. What did she need to know? What was she going to ask? Did she really have to give an answer? She watched Arizona set her fork and knife down upon the empty plate in front of her and push it slightly to the side. The blond's blue eyes followed it but her lips kept moving. "I just want to know why you never thought to come home... Why you don't think you can talk to me?" The woman finally looked at her, her pale features adorning a mildly curious look. "I... Well, I sort of thought we had really grown after everything, I figured, if you ever needed anything, you knew you could talk to me. That I was, I am, here for you. I just want to know why..."

That was a hard one.

She thought, of all people, how could she go to Arizona? Wasn't that just the most ridiculous thing she could do? Callie sniffed softly as she bit the inside corner of her mouth. The other woman had to ask the hard hitting questions, didn't she...

"You know, when we went to trial to fight over our daughter, I actually thought that was the hardest thing I'd ever have to do. Fight you for our baby. Then, you won," Croaked the brunette, her throat tightening due to the emotions running rampant within her. Just the memory of it was enough to send her to the exact time and place, what she felt, it was raw and not entirely inviting. "You won and I... I didn't know what to do. Everything was taken from me. My girlfriend, my baby, my dignity, there was nothing that I had left to give." She watched Arizona quietly watch her in interest. Earnestly, the blue eyed woman allowed Callie all the space she needed to vent, to explain, that was what she was hoping for. Callie saw it in her eyes. That truth. The need to understand. She caved in when she saw a look like that. "Then you showed up one day with my baby and plane tickets, you gave everything back to me; my baby, my girlfriend, you gave me my life back. We were fighting and you took pity and gave everything back... I was so grateful to you."

"Callie, what I had done was wrong..." Arizona tried to speak up, to comfort, Callie shook her head and waved a hand, stopping the woman in her tracks.

"I'm not finished." Stated the dark eyed doctor, sufficiently cutting off her ex wife. She had far more to explain and if Arizona wanted answers, she was just going to have to shut up for a bit, and let her talk.

"Sorry. I'm listening." The other woman apologized and cleared her throat, sitting a little straighter in her seat to signify the fact that she was ready and eager to listen without interruption. Her lips were sealed. Callie let her hand fall to her lap and folded it with her other, focusing then on her plate to gather herself.

"Around six years ago, Penny and I, we... There was this... _Position_. She said she was going to throw her name in for it, I didn't, but when they offered this job to me I didn't hesitate to take it. It didn't seem like a big deal, I wouldn't have said yes if it was going to turn into a complete disaster, for her, but then there were a few other things that really... really bothered her. I have always been a damn good doctor, a great surgeon, I take pride in my work, in my patients, and the board noticed me... My colleagues noticed me. And Penny floundered," Callie had to take a moment to compose herself, she could feel all the anger and all the hurt beginning to spill over and the last thing she wanted to do, right now, was aim all that at Arizona. She didn't want to seize the moment and lash out unwarranted. She could see the pattern. When she finally did take that deep breath, she continued, while her hands lifted to toy with the fabric napkin on the table. She focused on that rather than the face across from her. "We haven't been the same because... She isn't strong like I thought she was. We'd see each other at the hospital, we'd see each other at home, at work I was... I was a rock star. She took it hard. I thought she'd love seeing me thrive in a place that wasn't Seattle but... She just shut down, shut me out, when I got too big and she couldn't quite keep up. I tried to be supportive although that wasn't what she wanted..."

"She wanted to be in the spotlight, she got jealous." Arizona interjected softly, now fully understanding why things had been so difficult. Calliope chuckled bitterly and gave her head of dark hair a shake. It sounded ridiculous. What kind of person, what kind of doctor... Wants just to have more glory? Penny's outcomes weren't negative outcomes, she was a very gifted doctor, but she just allowed her work to do the talking. She wasn't as charismatic as Calliope, she didn't draw people in, that was her problem.

"Yeah, she got jealous," Callie confirmed, the weight of the situation slowly beginning to edge off her shoulders just by having the one conversation – finally let out all the things she'd been hiding from, well, everyone. "She... I don't know, she's really _not_ a good man in a storm." It felt good to say it, to finally say it, to have the opportunity to be as truthful as she wanted. She peered down the a napkin and folded down the corner, just to have something to do with her hands.

Unbeknownst to her, the blond across the way had to replay the last few words in her head a couple times before she was able to digest the thought.

"I almost left once," She told Arizona, as she raised her gaze once again. "I did. Almost." Arizona's head tilted, just a touch. The blond gave her the look that spelled she was curious, she wanted to ask ' _Why didn't you'_. Calliope snorted softly while a sad little smirk curled the corner of her mouth. "You're going to think this is ridiculous, _I_ think it's ridiculous, but... I was guilty. I figured, we only get so many chances to be happy... I might have just used mine up along the way..."

"You're right," Arizona cut through, her hand reaching for Callie's empty dinner plate. The brunette watched curiously as the other woman took their emptied plates, their utensils, and pushed her chair back to stand. "I do think that's ridiculous, but, it's how you feel right now. And how you feel is fair and it is valid. But I really hope that changes because I think..." Calliope also stood, slowly, cautiously, and took a couple of steps to stand by the counter, near the dishwasher, where Arizona was fiddling with their used dishes. "I think you're awesome and deserve a lot of good, if Penny can't contribute to that 'good', then fuck her. You don't need her. No one should try to bring _you_ down because you're a rock star. They should be proud and... and _privileged_ because you are a rock star..." _My god... Why didn't I ever tell you..._ Callie thought to herself as she listened to Arizona rave about what they had discussed.

Just like that, Calliope felt all the tension in her shoulders, all the walls she'd been constructing, whither. She was left exhausted, emotionally and mentally, so much so, a yawn parted her lips. Arizona noticed while she peered up at her, her pale hand closing the dishwasher in tandem.

"Hey... Let's go to sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow, get Sofia..."

"Yeah, I think that's a good plan." Callie replied.

* * *

The woman chatted a little as they went upstairs and got themselves ready for a well deserved sleep. Arizona just let Callie do her own thing, she had her own bathroom to utilize anyway, so they said their good nights then gave each other space to think, to contemplate, and to have some well deserved quiet time.

'Tomorrow' was going to be a big day. Calliope only hoped she didn't lose her resolve. For her sake, and the sake of her daughter, she prayed she wouldn't. Because maybe, just maybe, Arizona was right... This wasn't the end for her. Maybe... She could begin again.

TBC...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Lest We Forget

Sofia couldn't sleep. She'd tossed and turned for hours through the night. Zola didn't notice, didn't care, she slept like a rock without ever budging the moment her head hit the pillow. It must have been nice to sleep like that. Sofia, on the other hand, couldn't halt her thoughts from continuously rolling from one topic to the next. Eventually, she just decided to screw the idea of trying to sleep and crept out of bed, making sure not to bother her sleeping friend, as she circled around the end of the bed frame to sneak out of the room.

The sun was beginning to rise and soft light filtered in through the windows, illuminating the kitchen and living room in a warm glow. She padded silently into the kitchen and looked at the time on the stove. 6:38 am. What a hellish hour to be awake. _'Well,'_ She thought, while opening a cupboard to get the instant coffee tin. _'I might as well make the best of it.'_

She made herself some coffee, or 'coffee flavoured sugar milk', she affectionately called it, and some toast with jam. She wasn't super hungry, but hungry enough to appreciate a little something to munch on while she watched the sunrise from the front porch swing. That was something she loved about being at Meredith and Derek's. The sunrises and the sunsets. They were unmatched. Countless evenings and mornings she'd spent gazing off at the horizon, even well after nightfall, to watch the city below turn into a mass peppering of little glowing lights. New York seemed like one big eyesore in comparison.

Sofia wasn't going to go back. She refused.

The young woman sneaked out onto the porch and gently closed the front door behind her, her toast held between her teeth and her steaming cup of caffeine in hand. She made her way to the porch swing and settled herself, sitting cross legged on the seat cushion. Then she just gazed off in the distance, the colours of the changing sky lulling her into a thoughtless, silent stupor. For just a minute, she didn't think about her moms, or her dad, her uncles, her aunts, her friends, her responsibilities, or how long she'd be able to spend just like this in the quiet. It was nice to just reign it in, shut down, and hit pause. She hadn't really felt like she'd had the time to do that yet; to just be still.

The night before, despite Zola and Bailey offering their distraction of banter and a couple of movies, Sofia could get comfortable. She plastered on a smile, acted fine, laughed, joked, and generally seemed like _herself_. They wouldn't have even been able to guess that all she really felt like doing was crawling into a hole and dying there, alone, without interruption. That was depression though. It's not always suicidal expressions or wrist cutting, sometimes it's fake smiles, fake jokes, and fake laughter. Sometimes you blink and you miss it.

She wondered whether or not she should get medication, or talk to a therapist. She wondered if just being in Seattle permanently with her mother and friends would be enough of an anti-depressant to offset the feeling of impending doom. She figured she wouldn't know until everything was all worked out.

The sound of someone opening the front door caused her head to snap in its direction. It caught her by surprise in the moment... A shock of salt and pepper hair, that signature small crooked smile and soft blue eyes...

"Good morning." Her uncle greeted as he stepped out onto the porch, still dressed in his flannel pj pants and plain grey shirt. Sofia watched him softly close the door then inch his way over to sit down beside her, a glass of water in his hand. She smiled a little.

"Morning, Uncle Derek." She replied. The weight of his body lowering onto the swinging bench made the whole thing rock. She didn't care, in fact, she liked the movement. It felt nice. She looked at him, he eyed her with some mild curiosity, but didn't say anything. He just lifted an arm and draped it across the back of the seat, behind her, letting his hand fall to her shoulder. That little bit of comfort was so greatly appreciated and required, he must have known it. They sat in silence for a while, watching the sunrise together.

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore... ," Sofia admitted quietly, eventually, while watching a few birds nest in one of the trees in the yard. "I wish my dad was here." She didn't have to look at her uncle to see him in her minds eye just give a little nod of acknowledgement. After a couple seconds, she did, however, cast a glance at the side of his face only to find him looking back at her. There was just a touch of sadness found upon his features. She could only tell by his eyes. They were the most honest. The rest of him was controlled, calm, still with that typical little smile curling the corner of his mouth.

"Sometimes, _just_ sometimes, I don't know what I'm doing either." He told her while turning his sights to the sky above, ever so slightly lighting, minute by passing minute. Sofia gave a soft snort of a laughter.

"You always seem so sure of everything." She stated while bringing her coffee cup to her lips and taking a sip of the nuke warm liquid. Derek chuckled a little and very softly began to rock the bench, his feet pushing against the deck slowly, just to create a bit of movement.

"That's my job," Her uncle replied. "To _seem_ sure of everything. Even the things I'm not sure of, I have to _seem_ sure. But I make mistakes. I make the wrong call. And sometimes I get it all right but it feels... It doesn't feel like it." Sofia listened intently. She could identify with all of that, just the way he said and explained it. That's where she was right now. She didn't know if she made the 'right call'.

"I know I made the right choice by coming here, distancing myself from my moms for a minute, but I have no idea what's going to happen next. And I'm scared. I'm _really_ scared... that nothing good is going to come from it. That they won't change their minds." She felt Derek give her shoulder a squeeze. It was all the encouragement she needed to lean against his side and lay her head on his shoulder. It was almost like having a dad... Not exactly. But close.

"Your mothers love you, kiddo. At the end of the day, they're still going to love you. You will all get through this. It's just a moment. A fraction of a fraction of a moment in your lives, it might feel like forever, but you'll all deal with it. Together. Try not to be scared." Sofia turned her head enough to see her uncle flash her one of his charming smiles, the kind that always made her feel like he knew something, some piece of wisdom, that she didn't know. Maybe due to her age. His soothing words did exactly what they were intended to do, they comforted her. If her dad was here, she had to imagine that he'd say the same thing.

After a while of just sitting and rocking together, Derek pressed a chaste kiss to Sofia's forehead and gave her one more small squeeze. He told her not to worry, and again told her that everything was going to work out just fine. She needed to have a little faith in that. Then he got up to get himself ready for the day so he could head to the hospital with Meredith. The pair never slowed down. Sofia wondered if someday she'd find herself in a life like this. A wife or a husband, a couple of kids, a nice house, and a job that tied everything together. As the thought crossed her mind, she inwardly smirked. _Yeah, right.  
_

* * *

"Ouch, Christ..." Arizona cursed, as she woke up feeling her leg was a bit swollen, tender, and tried giving it a rub but it didn't really help much. _Oh, well..._ She thought as she got up and out of bed to start her day. It was always a bit of a challenge to get herself ready without the use of two good legs. But she managed.

She searched for a decent outfit, made her bed, laid out her clothes, then jumped in the shower. She could tell by the way the water pressure was fluctuating that Callie must have been having a shower too. The flash of an image of the woman lathering soap across her skin... _Nope. Stop._ Arizona squashed the thought immediately and focused on herself. That was what she needed to do before she fell on her ass. Before long she was doing her make up, her hair, pulling on her prosthesis and getting dressed. She had her routine down, it was quick and easy, it was amazing how quickly she'd adapted to just hobbling around on one leg. She thought she'd always remember what it was like having two of them... Fortunately, not.

Creeping out of her room, she saw the bathroom door open at the end of the hall. Steam still rising from the room. Callie wasn't to be seen. Arizona deduced she was getting herself ready for the day, as well. So the blond went downstairs to start fixing some coffee and some cereal. Nothing fancy. Calliope and Arizona weren't actually 'breakfast' people anyway. Some things never changed. While seating herself down at the table with a fresh cup of black coffee and some cornflakes, she heard the other woman descending the stairs. The moment the brunette appeared, Arizona flashed her a dimpled smile.

"Good morning, Calliope." She greeted. Callie cast a warm smile in her direction.

"Morning, did you make coffee?" Arizona just nodded and thumbed toward the coffee maker over her shoulder, across the room, on the counter. Callie gravitated towards it like a moth to a flame. The blond inwardly chuckled as it was as it had always been. Callie and her coffee. At least, she didn't need a special vagina vote anymore in order to attain her favourite breakfast... _Mark..._ Christ, did she ever miss that man.

"I was thinking that maybe we shouldn't pick up Sofia until after you talk to Bailey at the hospital...," Arizona began to say. Behind her, out of sight, she heard all movement stop. "That is, if you're considering still moving back here... I can't imagine that you'd want to just laze around."

"Ha, _laze_ around?" She heard Callie snort while the brunette strolled over to the table and sat down across from her. "No, I'll... I'll talk to her. I have to call Penny, which I was planning to do this morning at one point. I _do_ want to get everything figured out before we go pick up Sofia. It just makes things more simple to do it that way." Despite the fact that Calliope looked confident, and seemed to have sorted herself, Arizona could sense that she wasn't all together that adjusted. She was putting up that front, the defence, the blond wasn't going to push it.

"Do what feels right." She replied simply. Their gaze locked.

* * *

Arizona had to go for walk, Callie guessed she needed to think a few things through. Hell, she had to think things through herself. She sat on the front porch with her phone in her hands just staring at the dial pad. What was she going to say? Would Penny actually give a shit? Would she even pick up the phone? Penny was notorious for just letting her go straight to voice mail. It was like she'd pick and choose when to take Calliope's calls. It felt like a power trip. Ever since Calliope had taken that damn position, essentially became Penny's superior, the red head questioned everything. At work, she grew to question Callie's authority. At home, it was no different. The snide comments, the passive aggressive little remarks. It got to the point where it seemed like Penny would do almost anything to overthrow Callie. Whether at home, or in the workplace. She didn't care.

Finally, and after a great deal of contemplation, Calliope dialled Penny's cellphone. She head the phone to her ear and waited. Part of her wished that Penny would answer. If only to avoid having to speak with her. There was a click...

 _"Calliope... Hi."_ She heard Penny greet. Little warmth, professional, it was the usual. Callie set her jaw.

"Penny, I'm going to talk to you." Callie went straight for the gold, no distractions, no chit chat. Of course, it wasn't as well received as one would have hoped.

 _"Listen, I'm busy, I'll call you..."_

"Penny, I'm leaving you."

Silence.

It lasted for what seemed like two or three minutes but she didn't end it, she didn't continue, Callie waited. She strained to here the sound of Penny breathing, it was soft, yet, she knew the woman was still on the other line. Callie felt her palms begin to sweat, she wondered if Penny had even heard what she'd said.

 _"Why?"_ The word was spoken in a voice and tone that Calliope hadn't heard in... What? Maybe five or six years? Was it just her imagination or did Penny actually sound like she was getting... Emotional? Just before Callie could open her mouth to respond, she heard Penny's voice again. _"You're leaving me. Why?"_ The red head repeated. Calliope sighed deeply.

"This isn't working anymore. You know it, I know it, Sofia... She definitely knows it. She refuses to fly back to New York and, frankly, _we_ are a big reason why. So, I'll fly back, pack my things, and then I'll fly back to Seattle and stay here. Where I belong. And we'll count it as a loss and move on. You can't possibly tell me that's not what you want either." Calliope told her partner. She wasn't mad, she wasn't trying to get a rise out of her girlfriend, still, she spoke clearly and without hesitation. A large part of her was surprised that Penny didn't just say _Oh! Good. Bye then._ That didn't happen.

 _"Don't tell me what I do or don't want..." Here we fucking go again..._ Callie thought as she drew a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. This woman was unbelievable.

"Penny, I'm not telling you what you want. I'm not starting a fight. I'm done fighting with you every god damn day, and I have a child to think about. A child which, according to her, you could give two shits about right now. So... What am I supposed to do?"

 _"You're the parent, Calliope. She's the child. She doesn't tell you what to do, you tell her what to do, that's the deal. So tell her to get her ass on a plane like a parent, that's your job. End of discussion."_ It took a moment or two for Callie to even produce a response. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Penny turned on a dime and it was the same as it had been. That moment of emotion, gone. This... This right here, this was why she was leaving. And now more than ever she was sure of it.

"You know Penny, you are a lot of things. You're a damn good doctor, you _can_ be a good partner, a decent step mom... But this? This is why we don't work. Don't you _ever_ tell me how to raise _my_ child. I can start over, you can start over. Keep the clothes, throw them out, burn them, take the jewelry, I don't fucking care. And tell Rhonda she can take _your_ position and shove it up her ass. I quit." Then she hung up. Just like that. That was it. She was shaking with adrenaline and energy that she didn't know she had.

"Hey... You okay?" Callie looked up to see Arizona walking up the cement pathway towards the front steps, her features wearing an expression of concern. Callie's eyes were filling but her lips were forming a quivering smile. She felt liberated.

"I'm good. I'm... Really good."

TBC...


End file.
